1. Technical Field
The invention relates to semiconductor devices. In particular, the invention relates to semiconductor devices having a semiconductor junction.
2. Description of Related Art
Semiconductor devices that have need of high switching speeds are being employed in an increasing number of subsytems and systems. Among such high switching speed semiconductor devices are high-frequency electrical components (e.g., microwave and radio frequency switches and amplifying devices), signal emitters (e.g., light emitting diodes or ‘LEDs’, semiconductor lasers, etc.), optical modulators, and signal detectors (e.g., optical detectors, etc.). In recent years, semiconductor devices comprising nanowires have been developed. In particular, semiconductor nanowires that incorporate an integral semiconductor junction have been demonstrated. Nanowire-based semiconductor devices such as LEDs and semiconductor lasers have been realized using such semiconductor nanowires. Similarly, devices such as diodes and detectors including, but not limited to, optical detectors, have been fabricated using semiconductor nanowires with integral junctions. Such semiconductor devices that employ a semiconductor nanowire, either singly or in a plurality, may be attractive for use in a wide variety of applications.
A switching speed or a modulation rate of semiconductor nanowire-based devices may be limited by the presence of residual carriers that remain in or near the semiconductor junction when the device is turned off. Efforts to overcome this limitation have included decreasing a carrier lifetime in a vicinity of the semiconductor junction. Unfortunately decreasing the carrier lifetime also tends to decrease an efficient of the semiconductor device. As such, there is a keen interest in developing a means for effectively removing residual carriers without significantly adversely affecting device performance and efficiency. Moreover, such means for residual carrier removal that applies to nanowire-based semiconductor junction devices would satisfy a long felt need.